At a time when many families were thinking of Thanksgiving and Christmas feasts, the Ocean City (Md.) Lodge of the Sons & Daughters of Italy was looking ahead to 2022, kicking off its planning for the return of its St. Joseph’s Festival and the festival’s cornucopia of homemade Italian foods and baked goods. The festival was last held in 2019, with the 2020 and 2021 events canceled due to COVID-19 impacts.

The lodge not only set the date for the festival as March 19, 2022, at its usual location, St. Andrew’s Hall on 144th Street and Sinepuxent Avenue in Ocean City, but also set the menu that has for years attracted so many to the event. The food choices will feature such Italian staples as ravioli and meatballs, minestrone soup, sausage, peppers and onions, zeppole, and other breads and cakes — all cooked home-style by lodge women and men.